Identify a specific public health policy at the state level. Federal policies such as the
Affordable Care Act, Medicare, or Social Security, etc. are not appropriate for this
assignment. You can find state-level policies by visiting the National Conference of State
Legislators (NCSL) website and searching the 50-State Searchable Bill Tracking Database
by topic for enacted policies, or visiting your state legislature website. You will then search
for statutes or policies in that state.
This assignment has two parts: A diagram/flowchart and a narrative.
Diagram or Flowchart
Visually illustrate how your chosen health policy became law. The flow chart should
include a historical timeline from the introduction of the policy to its implementation. You
can use a diagram or flowchart development tools available through Microsoft PowerPoint,
Word, or Excel.
Narrative
Develop a short narrative (500-750 words) that describes the expected effects of the health
care policy on specific health outcomes. Describe how this policy influences community and
individual health. Is the state policy new or not yet implemented? Explain the intended
impact of this policy. If the policy has been implemented, describe its impact.
State Level Health Policy
The Healthy Families Act H.R. 1784; S. 840- 116th Congress
2004- First introduction of a
version of the Bill
May 2009- Bill reintroduced in the
111th Congress in May 2009 by
Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro and
Senator Edward Kennedy
Following the demise of Senator
Edward Kennedy, his successor,
Senator Chris Dodd, took the lead
in sponsoring the Bill.
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Narrative
Over the years, the issue over paid sick days among the American workforce has been a
relatively controversial matter that has drawn the attention of various policymakers. The leaders
from different states and communities have made numerous attempts aimed at ensuring that the
employees get at least an hour off work of every 30 hours accumulated. Ultimately, the paid
sick-time would accumulate to approximately 56 hours or seven days annually (Polzer, 2019).
Although the Healthy Families Act has not been enacted across the nation yet, several states have
adopted the policy in their legislature following extensive evidence that highlights its benefits.
On the one hand, the adoption of paid time off work policy is associated with advantages that
include the reduction of turnover, an increment in productivity, and the mitigation as well as
minimization of spreading toxic conditions at the work environment.
2009-2015- local and state
campaigns for the adoption of the
Bill
January 2015, President Obama
urges Congress to pass the Bill
March 14, 2019- Bill reintroduced in the House of
Representatives by Rep. Rosa DeLauro (C-CT) and
in Senate by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA).
Currently in Congress
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The occurrence of illnesses can impact an entire family, and approximately 40% of the
workforce in the private sector that lack paid sick leave would experience such an acute strain
firsthand. As a result, millions of more workers across the nation lack paid sick leave that can be
used to take care of their illnesses or for their loved ones (Polzer, 2019). However, the
inadequacy in this area is based on ideologies propagated by opponents of paid sick leave who
assert that offering paid sick leave to employees should be carried out discretely. These
arguments are based on the belief that employers have a better understanding of the benefit
preference of their workers and should thus focus on maintaining the flexibility that meets their
unique needs. Consequently, workers in the United States are denied time off work for short-
term or severe conditions based on the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). As such, the
FMLA law requires employers with at least 50 employees working within a radius of 75 miles to
comply by covering the individuals who have worked for 12 months before taking their leave
(Library of Congress, 2019).
Influence of the Policy on the Community and Individual Health
According to the Library of Congress (2019), these factors led to President Barrack
Obama advocating for the enactment and implementation of the Healthy Families Act in January
2015 as it would allow workers to get time off and take care of personal health issues or attend to
the needs of their loved ones. Moreover, the proposed bill would lead to application across
employers or organizations with more than 15 employees as stipulated by the Fair labor
Standards Act. Nonetheless, if implemented, the law would allow employees to use their sick
leave for absence brought on by occurrences such as a physical or mental illness, injuries, or
medical conditions. Additionally, employees would have access to paid sick leave for absences
that emanate from the pursuit of professional medical diagnosis or preventive medical care
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(Library of Congress, 2019). These may be coupled with absence related to the intention of
taking care of a child, spouse, parent, domestic partner, or relative. Similarly, these privileges
may be extended to employees who seek absence from work due to incidents such as domestic
violence, sexual assault at work or at home, or perpetrators stalking them.
Although the state policy has not been implemented yet, it is not new to the United States
as numerous attempts have been made since its first introduction in 2004. However, different
states across the nations have implemented various versions of the policy in the legislature with
the intent to boost productivity among their workforce and, ultimately, the welfare of the people
(Polzer, 2019). More precisely, the intended impact behind the Healthy Families Act entails
making it illegal for employers to interfere with or deny, as well as restrain their employees from
exercising their right to accrue sick leave as stipulated by the bill. It thus seeks to provide the
employees across the nation with a platform that allows them to take legal action aimed at
enforcing their right to paid sick leave as granted by the bill. As a result, complaints filed against
employers who violate these provisions will lead to the involvement of the Department of Labor
to conduct investigations on the terms and compliance with the regulation (Library of Congress,
2019). However, if the employees on sick leave extend their time off work, he/she is required to
provide certification for the extended period. It is, therefore, imperative that organizations
restructure their current policies in meeting the minimums sets forth in the bill before it is
implemented into law.
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References
Library of Congress. (2019, March 14). S.840 – 116th Congress (2019-2020): Healthy Families
Act.
Polzer, K. (2019, January 3). All Workers Should Have A Few Paid Sick Days. The President
And Congress Can Make It Happen.